Raksha Rajya Mantri Dr Subhash Bhamre on the occasion of Janaushadhi Diwas inaugurated a Janaushadhi Kendra at Base Hospital, Delhi Cantt here today. It will be a pilot Kendra, which is in line with Pradhan Mantri Bharatiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP). Speaking on the occasion, Dr Bhamre said, “I would like to apprise you that Ministry of Defence [in June] last year had mandated that Janaushadhi Kendras to be empanelled with ECHS as Authorised Local Chemist (ALC) which will benefit the provisioning of medicines at much cheaper rate vis-a-vis market rate.”It will also help the hospitals to procure bulk medicines for ECHS patients from the Janaushadhi Kendra as a registered vendor, leading to cost reduction in procurement of drugs through ECHS as well as DGLP funds. The speed of delivery will provide succour and greater satisfaction to veterans and their dependents.Dr Bhamre acknowledged the efforts taken by DGMS (Army) & Colonel Commandant Lt Gen Manomoy Ganguly, present there on the occasion, to open the first Janaushadhi Kendra and also requested him to open more such outlets in other hospitals located across the country as soon as possible.The Janaushadhi Kendras provide quality generic medicines at affordable costs for all. Presently there are 5,053 Janaushadhi Kendras in 652 districts providing quality generic medicines that are cheaper by 50-90 per cent as compared to average market price. This scheme has played a big role in bringing down the out of pocket expenditure of patients suffering from life threatening diseases in the country, leading to an approximate savings of Rs 1,000 crore of the people.